Three Truths and a Lie
by Itsjustshe
Summary: Amanda and Francine are locked in a wine cellar. What should they do to pass the time? Play three truths and a lie, of course. A little bonding experience set in season three.


**Disclaimer:** "Scarecrow and Mrs. King" is copyrighted to Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Productions. The plot is mine, but not the characters. This story is meant for enjoyment purposes only. No infringement is intended.

 **Author's Note:** Thank you to Taya for her always positive beta work! Any mistakes that are left are all mine.

"Lamar, do you really think we need a whole case of wine for a three-day weekend at the lake house?" Susanna drawled to her husband.

"Well, we are expecting your sister. I'm not sure a case is enough but you've already packed the car so I doubt we could fit more than one case," Lamar huffed while hoisting the case up the stairs, followed closely behind by his wife. "Don't forget to lock the deadbolt, the children will be here tomorrow and I don't want them touching my wine."

"Oh Lamar, they aren't children anymore. Jamison turned 28 last month and Rebecca is almost 25." Suzanne hustled her pace to keep up with her much taller husband who was almost at the top of the stairs.

"Our son, the deadbeat, will probably have a party since we aren't going to be home and your darling daughter is a drunk. If they are going to drink in my house, they will have to pay for it themselves." Lamar's voice boomed through the cellar. "I said deadbolt it and make sure you take the key."

"Of course, Sweetheart, if you say so." With that, Suzanne, flipped the light switch, slammed the door and quickly turned the key in the deadbolt, throwing the cellar into complete darkness and locking in the two hidden occupants.

"Well that was a bust." Francine got out from her hiding spot under the table in the back of the cellar, carefully wiping off the dust from her designer skirt and turning on the two lamps on either end of the long table.

"Francine, we knew it was a long shot that they were actually drug smugglers." Amanda untucked herself from in between the rock wall and a wooden shelving unit holding the vast selection of wines before walking quietly up the stairs to the door, hoping that she hadn't heard the deadbolt lock into place. Turning to Francine standing at the bottom of the stairs, "What do you suggest we do to get out of here? We are locked in from the outside and there are no other doors or windows."

"Isn't this where your white knight usually rides up on horseback?" Francine scoffed as she moved around the room looking for any escape route.

"I don't have a white knight, I have a partner that watches my back," Amanda shot back, "and he's not expecting us back to the office for at least two hours so I guess we have to wait until then. At least this time we're not freezing to death." Shivers shot through her at the memory.

"Yeah and since Mr. and Mrs. Suburbia are gone for the weekend, we don't have to worry about being caught but that still leaves us stuck in here for at least a few hours before someone even comes looking for us." Francine sat on the table that she had only a few minutes ago been hiding beneath.

After a few minutes of wandering around the large room lit only by the table lamps, Amanda gave up looking and joined Francine on the table. "There is no way out so I guess we just sit back and wait for Lee to come looking for us."

"It must be nice," Francine sighed.

"Huh?"

"I said, it must be nice." Francine glared at Amanda, knowing she had heard her but was obviously acting dumb.

"I heard you Francine, but I don't know what you meant by it. We are both stuck in here, what's so nice about that?" Amanda asked

"You know exactly what I mean. It must be nice to know that Lee will save you. No matter what trouble you get yourself into, Lee always seems to appear out of nowhere to rescue you."

"First of all, I don't always need rescuing and I usually don't get myself in trouble, I often have help and secondly, I do remember Lee riding to your rescue on more than one occasion." Amanda wagged her finger at Francine.

"Name one time that Lee saved me," Francine challenged.

"During the Magda Petrak case, he didn't exactly ride, more like flew in, but he did save you." Amanda smiled proudly believing her point was made.

"He was there to save you and Magda, I was just an afterthought," Francine pouted.

"If you remember correctly, Francine, I was the afterthought. He made sure you and Magda were safe first."

"Okay, maybe so, but he really was just trying to save Magda."

"No, we were all trying to save you. Magda and I were perfectly safe at my house. You were the one in danger," Amanda pointed out.

"I guess, you're right. Lee really does take that whole white knight thing to a new level," Francine conceded.

After sitting quiet for a few minutes, Francine asked, "So you don't have any jacks in your bag to pass the time?"

"Jacks, Francine, really? Why would I have jacks in my purse?"

"Well, you do have children. I don't know what mothers carry these days to keep their children entertained. My mother always carried jacks."

"Well, the boys are older now, they don't need to be kept entertained and they are boys so Matchbox cars-yes, jacks-no. I might have a deck of cards though, let me check." Amanda reached for her purse to rummage through.

"At least we don't have to worry about dehydrating." Francine slid off the table and swept her hand around the room indicating all of the wine bottles stacked on the shelves. "I doubt they will miss a bottle from their modestly priced section." She added as she picked up a bottle and returned to her seat on the table.

"Francine, we really shouldn't." Amanda put her purse down, not finding the deck of cards.

"They'll blame their children and I didn't take anything really expensive." Seeing Amanda's look of disapproval, she added, "I'll leave some money if you want, though it might make them suspicious that someone other than the deadbeat and the drunk were down here."

"It will make me feel better if we left money. Thank you. How are we going to open it?"

"With this." Francine triumphantly pulled out her Swiss Army knife from her purse. "Some of us carry jacks while other's carry useful things."

After opening the bottle, Francine took a long swig before offering the bottle to Amanda.

"Not exactly the crystal stemware I'm used to but I guess it will do for this cheap bottle of wine. You don't mind drinking out of the same bottle, do you, Dear?" Francine purred.

"I haven't shared a bottle of wine like this since high school but no, I don't mind your cooties." Amanda smiled and reached for the bottle, taking a gulp of her own.

"I don't have cooties," Came Francine's quick reply before sticking her tongue out at the brunette.

Laughing, Amanda stuck her own out in response.

"Now if only we had a nice cheese and chocolate plate to go with this," Francine picked up the bottle again, but continued before drinking, "it wouldn't be a bad place to pass the time."

"Ah! What better to go with a cheap bottle of wine but some cheap chocolate bars." Amanda reached into her purse and came out with several of the 'Finest Chocolate.' "Phillip is selling these for his soccer team fundraiser. I was going to unload these on Lee but I'm sure he won't eat them anyway."

After passing the bottle between them more than a few times, Francine slid off the table in search of another botte while Amanda opened another candy bar. "Well, that bottle went faster than I expected."

"So did the chocolate," Amanda's laughter turned into a hiccup. Looking at her watch, she realized only about 45 minutes had passed. It would still be a long time before Lee started to look for them.

"No luck on the cards, Amanda?" Francine returned to the table, picked up the army knife and quickly opened the second bottle before she hopped back up on the table.

"No, unfortunately. I think the boys took them to make a house of cards a few nights ago."

"What a shame, I was going to beat you in poker to see who would pay for the wine." Francine teased.

"I would have given you a run for your money. I used to play with Joe and his frat brothers. We often went out to dinner on my winnings," Amanda reminisced.

"Well, I take that as a challenge, next time we get stuck somewhere, we'll see who is the better poker player. In the meantime, what shall we do to pass the time?" Francine took another long swig before continuing, "Amanda, can I ask you a personal question?"

"Sure, I'm not promising I'll answer, but you can ask." Amanda sat straighter bracing herself for whatever Francine had in store.

"Uuuuummmm, You and Lee…"

"Are not involved. We are just friends, Francine. How many times do I have to tell you that?" The words rushed from Amanda.

"Well that was a little defensive," Francine quipped, "and not what I wanted to know at all."

"Sorry, I'm usually defending my friendship with Lee to anyone but Mr. Melrose at the Agency. Go on."

"Alright, you and Lee, you're both so open with each other and believe the other will always come through, be there no matter what. How do you put that much trust in someone? I mean, he picked you out of a crowd at a train station and asked for your help. You seemed to just help him for no reason. I don't know anyone who would do that."

Breathing a sigh of relief that Francine wasn't trying to pry into her personal life, Amanda decided to try to explain. "I knew from the moment that Lee grabbed me at the train station that he was in trouble. At that moment, on a platform full of people, I wasn't frightened just a little bewildered. Why me? What could I do? I also have always been someone who helped people in need. I didn't necessarily trust him, I just knew he needed help and why not me?"

"So you helped him but didn't trust him?" Francine asked, once again picking up the bottle.

"I didn't distrust him, I just didn't think about it. I didn't think helping this man would cause me harm. So I just did what he asked. It wasn't until later, after I got home and still had the package that I realized I could have been inviting danger into my life. I mean, I didn't know what was in the package or if I had been followed home but I just knew I had to keep it and hope that the man I had met would somehow find me to get it back."

"And that didn't scare you?"

"Well, it did when Lee showed up at the car hop carrying our tray of food dressed as a pirate."

"Wait! What?" Francine interrupted. "I've never heard this part of the story."

Laughing, Amanda continued, "I still don't know how he found me, especially there but yeah, I was taking the boys home from soccer practice and had stopped for dinner when Lee attached a tray with our order and then bent over, lifted his eye patch and asked me for the package."

Francine's chuckle turned into full laughter picturing Lee in a pirates uniform. "What did you do?"

"I took off, our food scattering everywhere while Lee jogged after us somehow managing to shove his business card under my windshield wiper." Amanda shrugged and reached for the bottle of wine.

"And then you called him, met him, broke into a post office with him and ultimately saved him. You must have trusted him. Why?"

"I honestly don't know why at that point and I'm not sure it was trust, more instinctual. I will tell you it wasn't complete trust but something just made me help."

"So if you didn't completely trust him then, when did you start trusting him and why?" Francine continued her questioning while reaching for the bottle that Amanda had just put down.

"I honestly don't know when I completely trusted him. It's just that over time, we got to know each other, confide in each other. We spent a lot of time in cars either on stake out or driving to out of the way places for assignments and you tend to get to know a person by talking. I guess, trust came sometime between when the constant chatter of trying to fill a quiet, uneasy silence of a long car ride turned into companionable silence." Amanda shook her head trying to recall exactly when that was. "Actually, I know exactly the moment I knew that Lee was someone I could trust no matter what."

"Really, when?" Francine's curiosity was piqued.

"Do you remember when Lee was pretending to be a burnout?"

"Yes, I remember being very upset that no one filled me in on that one. I think I had a need to know."

"Nobody knew, Francine. Just Lee and Billy."

"You seemed to." Hurt still evident even though time had passed.

"I didn't until something happened and Lee needed to explain. At that point it was need to know for me."

"What happened?" Francine's curiosity was piqued.

"Sorry Francine, that **is** need to know but that case put me in a situation where I had to put my complete trust in Lee and well, really his in me. After a year and a half of knowing him, he had opened up enough to me and me to him that a complete trusting friendship had formed."

"I want that," Francine murmured.

"You could have that Francine, if you would just open up a little and let someone in." Amanda suggested.

"How?"

"How what?"

"How do I open myself up to a friendship like that?" Sadness had darkened her porcelain features.

Amanda thought for a long moment before replying, not sure the woman across from her would be accepting. "Your friendship with Lee is almost there, you just need to cultivate it a little more. And I would like to be a friend like that to you, if you would let me."

Looking up, Francine stared at Amanda wondering what her motive could be. After a moment, she realized that there was none. "Really? Why?"

"Well, I don't think you can ever have enough friends and you are one of the few people that know that I'm a spy…"

"An agent," Francine corrected

"...civilian auxiliary personnel for a secret organization." Amanda smiled. "It would be wonderful to have a woman that I can be completely open with about what I do and situations that I get into without having to filter what I say," she explained.

Nodding, Francine acquiesced, "I can understand that. So how do we do this?"

' _How do we?'_ Amanda thought. "Aha! We could always play 'three truths and a lie'. It's a game we played during pajama parties."

"Pajama parties. We are not in grade school anymore, Dear." Francine looked at her doubtingly.

"We actually never played in grade school but made up the game during our third pajama party in a month when we were in high school. We were bored with the same old Truth or Dare. It's simple and it helped us open up to each other. It could help us start that trusting friendship. It started conversations that we never would have had if we hadn't played. When I was in college, I suggested it during our 'get to know each other' party in my sorority. It really brought us closer," Amanda explained.

"Maybe it's the wine but I'm willing to give this a-go. How do you play?"

"It's pretty simple. You start by picking your own category. Then, using that category, you tell three true statements and one false statement about yourself. The person you're playing with has to guess which one is the lie. If they guess right, they choose your next category."

"I think I understand, but maybe you should go first." Francine nodded.

"Sure, I'll start off with my usual category choice. I pick sports. 1. I was the captain of both my high school and college cheerleading teams; 2. I was the pitcher of my junior high baseball team; 3. I was the setter on our volleyball team; 4. I won the league championship in darts. Now you get to pick which one of those statements is a lie." Amanda sat back with a satisfied look as Francine pondered what she had just heard.

' _Huh, maybe this won't be as easy as I thought,'_ Francine thought. 'Three of them sound like lies.' "Amanda, let me make sure, I get this. Three of those statements are factual and only one is a lie?"

Amanda's smile and a definitive nod of her head made Francine give a scrutinizing look, trying to read Amanda. "Well, I can see you playing volleyball since you're tall and somewhat athletic." Tapping her perfectly manicured fingernail against her lips, she continued. "The cheerleader sounds plausible, though you don't fit the stereotype, you're not ditzy or, er, bouncy."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Amanda, come on, you know exactly what that means," Francine taunted.

"No, I don't. I would like you to explain exactly what you meant by not bouncy," Amanda demanded.

"I just mean, you don't exactly possess the typical body type to be a cheerleader, especially a head cheerleader," Francine explained.

"I'll have you know that not only was I one of the best cheerleaders my college ever saw, I was unanimously voted captain. My flips were faster and straighter than anyone else's and I was always at the top of the pyramid," Amanda countered.

Smiling triumphantly, Francine crowed, "Well, I guess I know that cheerleader was the truth and not a lie."

"I guess you do but you still haven't picked the lie yet. So, Francine, which is the lie? Volleyball, baseball or darts?"

"Okay, so approaching this logically, cheerleading is a definite," Francine smiled, "volleyball makes sense. I know you coached the boys baseball team when they were younger but I really don't think they would allow a girl on a baseball team, softball, yes, but not baseball. The problem with that is, the only one left is darts. I can't see you being good at hitting a target. I've seen the way you shoot." Francine leaned in closer hoping that Amanda's face would show something but saw no indication of which was the lie. Maybe it was a good thing they didn't have cards for poker, she'd surely have a tough time reading Amanda's poker face. "Okay, my guess is the dart championship. I find that one very hard to believe."

"Sorry Francine, I was league championship at Dooley's when Joe and I were in college. Not only did I beat his frat brothers in poker but not one of them could beat me in darts," Amanda boasted before taking a gulp of wine.

"So you can throw a dart at a target with great accuracy but can't shoot a gun at one? That makes no sense to me."

"Well, the dart is being thrown at a round piece of cork, not a human target and isn't intended to kill anyone. I think it's the killing or even hurting someone that causes my issues with accuracy," Amanda explained.

"I guess that makes sense but isn't it better to know how to shoot with accuracy? It could not only mean the difference between life and death of the person you are shooting at but also, yours. If you missed the suspect, they could harm you," Francine wondered out loud.

"You're probably right but until I can get over the mental block stopping me from pulling the trigger, I doubt I will ever shoot with accuracy."

"You'll have to if you want to become a full-time agent. It's part of the job requirement, actually a really big part," Francine joked.

"Huh, that surprises me," Amanda muttered but a bit too loudly.

"What surprises you?" Francine inquired.

"That you have ever considered me becoming an agent."

"Well, I never would have before, but recently, I've seen the way you work and it's actually surprised me. You really think outside the box. You're brave, sometimes stupidly so, since you don't carry a weapon."

"I always have my purse," Amanda interjected.

Francine, slightly perturbed, continued, "You have great instincts. I do think with a lot of training, in a few years, you would be an adequate agent."

"Well geez, thank you, Francine. I don't know why my head isn't swelling with such an enthusiastic compliment," Amanda quipped.

"Amanda, most agents are adequate. I wasn't trying to put you down. I mean, we all can't be superheroes," Francine explained.

"Like Lee." They said together.

Laughing, the tension now broken, Amanda looked at Francine and nodded her head. "So I've revealed something about myself, now it's your turn. Pick your category."

"Oh right, the game, our bonding continues." Once again Francine brought her hand to her chin and methodically tapped her nail against her lips thinking. Smiling before continuing, "I know, since your clearance is not high enough to look at personnel records, I'm choosing childhood."

"That's a great category. It will help me get to know you better. I'm sure you've read my background already so this way, I'll have just as much insight into yours," Amanda enthused.

Sitting back leaning on her outstretched arms, Francine started. "1. I was a debutante making my debut into society on my 16th birthday with a large cotillion at my parent's country club. 2. My father was an ambassador to France. 3. I went to a boarding school in New England." Francine sat forward and sighed before continuing, "4. I had an older brother who treated me like a princess. Now put that supposed logical mind of yours to work and tell me what I'm lying about." Again, resting back on her arms, Francine gave Amanda a smile that rivaled the cheshire cat.

"Okay, give me a moment to work this out. I think you were a deb, you seem the type."

"Wait, what do you mean 'the type'? There is no stereotype for a debutante," Francine snapped at Amanda.

"Oh yes there is, just like there is a type of girl who is a cheerleader," Amanda insisted. Off Francine's look of disgust, Amanda continued. "They tend to be the rich girls, usually from the south, whose mothers belong to the Daughters of the Confederacy. They walk around making jabs at people they don't think are good enough to be their friends. They have a certain style that screams that they spent more on their wardrobe than most people pay for their first house. They are always well coiffed and manicured. They never look frazzled, like most normal people."

"So that's what you think of me?" Francine huffed, "That's good to know before we became friends." Francine slid off the table and looked at her watch. "When is Lee coming? I'm so over being here and this game."

"Francine, I didn't mean that was you now. You are much more complex than that stereotype. Francine, will you please stop pacing and let me finish?" Amanda commanded.

Turning around to glare at her, Francine scowled, "Why should I? You let me know exactly what you think of me, I don't think we have anymore to talk about."

"Well, I think after all these years, you know that's not what I think of you. If I did, I would never have asked you to let me in." Amanda tried to explain but Francine turned her back and started to pace again, visibly agitated.

"What I see now is a woman who likely got her fashion sense from her debutante background, and probably her strive for always being the best but has left behind most of the spoiled rich girl who once only thought about her own little world. Who now thinks of the fate of the real world before her own. Well, that's what I see." Amanda shrugged and picked up the bottle hoping that the wine would dull a little of the guilt she was feeling over the hurt she had caused her friend.

"Most?" Francine asked, "What do you mean most of the spoiled rich girl?"

"Oh, come on, Francine, even you have to admit that sometimes that spoiled rich deb rears her ugly head. Though not as often as she did a couple of years ago."

Francine crossed to the table and picked up the half empty bottle and took a long swig before looking Amanda in the eye. "I could be a little bit of a… well… bitch when you first started. I'm, uuuummmm, sorry." Putting down the bottle, Francine once again sat on the table and faced Amanda.

"I've thought about that recently and think I understand why."

"Really? Please explain what my reasoning could have been back then." Francine smiled knowing Amanda didn't have a clue.

"Well, here I was, untrained, not having a clue what was going on most of the time but suddenly working with one of the top intelligence agents in the country, actually helping him solve cases and then capturing criminals and there you were, a highly intelligent, trained agent, who probably had to fight to get her job in the Agency and then climbed her way up the ladder only to be delegated most of the time behind the scenes doing as much to catch the terrorists as the male agents but getting none of the glory. I'd be a little more than upset by that." Amanda shrugged hoping that Francine would understand.

While Amanda was talking, Francine sat up a little straighter as she realized that maybe the other woman wasn't as clueless as she had thought.

A long silence settled in the room before Amanda said softly, "So, when did you lose your brother?"

Francine sat up straighter before replying "I never said I lost a brother. You're just trying to goad me into giving you a hint to which of my statements is a lie."

"Oh, right, the game, I know you did not go to a boarding school in New England, that's the lie. So, how did you lose your brother? Vietnam?"

"Why do you think that the New England boarding school is a lie?"

"Well, if it was the truth, you would have said what state. Being vague is the easiest way to tell a lie."

"Okay, you're right, I didn't go to boarding school in New England, it was closer to home but what makes you think I lost my brother?"

"You said you 'had an older brother' which made me believe you no longer have an older brother. So was it Vietnam? I lost a close friend there." Amanda looked at Francine with deep sadness in her eyes.

Sighing, Francine, reached for the bottle needing the support she felt she needed before starting her story, "No, it was a car accident." She slid off the table putting distance between herself and Amanda. "Brian was 8 years older than me. He doted on me from the day I was born." A soft smile brightened the sadness that surrounded her as she continued, "It was just after my ninth birthday, Brian was a senior in high school. His team had won the championship football game. He was in his best friend's car sitting in the front passenger seat when the truck in front of them lost his load. Ronny hit his brakes and tried to swerve out of the way but his car flipped down the ravine. Brian was thrown from the car. The others survived." With her back to Amanda, Francine wiped at her eyes hoping her mascara was truly waterproof. With a deep breath she turned to find Amanda dabbing at her eyes as well.

"Oh Francine, I'm -" Amanda began but was interrupted by Francine, "Amanda, please don't." All conversation stopped while both women tried to control their emotions.

"All right, you won that round, what happens next?" Francine asked while returning to her seat on the table.

"Um, well, since you didn't guess correctly, I choose my next topic." Amanda took a deep breath still trying to reign in her sadness. "My next topic is secrets." Amanda smiled at Francine's shocked expression.

"Well, that is not necessarily a good topic for a spy, we're supposed to keep our secrets, Dear."

"Yes, but if we are using this game to get to know each other better what better way than to share secrets?"

"Well, maybe for you but I've already shared enough for one lifetime."

"Does that mean we're done playing the game? If so, I can keep my secrets." Amanda queried.

With her curiosity piqued, Francine leaned back and answered, "Oh no, please go ahead. I'm just dying to know what kind of secrets you hold."

"Alright then, here it goes. 1. I hide the marshmallows in a high fiber cereal box. No matter how hungry the boys are, I'm sure they won't touch that. 2. Joe and I were engaged but had to push up the wedding date by 6 months. 3. I was engaged before Joe. 4. I weigh 121 pounds. Now Francine, which is the lie?"

Amanda reached for the bottle settled in between them only to find it empty. She absently slid off the table, went to the section that she had seen Francine take a bottle from earlier and pulled another from the shelf. All thoughts of "stealing" gone from her mind.

After opening the bottle, she offered it to Francine before returning to her spot on the table.

After taking a long sip, Francine looked at the bottle Amanda handed her, her eyes wide. "Uuuummm, Amanda, did you look at this bottle?"

"No, you know I don't know wines, I just took it from the same section that you took the other two. Why is it a bad bottle?" Amanda shrugged and took the bottle from Francine and took a gulp of her own. "Wow, this is good."

"It should be, Amanda, do you know how much that bottle costs?"

"No, is it expensive?" Amanda's voice shook as she asked the question.

"Well, I wouldn't serve it at a dinner on a 1st date but you might find it on my table when I want to impress on a 5th date."

The price of the wine now forgotten, Amanda couldn't resist asking, "Is the 5th date the magic date?"

"The magic date, Dear? I'm not sure what you mean," Francine answered obtusely.

"Oh come on, Francine, you know exactly what I mean. Is the 5th date, the date you say 'yes' to whatever he wants."

'If you mean, is the 5th date, the date I usually have sex with someone for the first time, then yes, but I wouldn't say that I would say 'yes' to whatever he wants. I do have limits and before you ask, that is one secret I share with no one."

Laughing, Amanda raised one curious eyebrow but upon seeing Francine's smile, knew she wouldn't share that secret. "Well, we all have our secrets, speaking of which, care to guess which of my secrets is a lie?"

"Oh that, I figured that out right away. You were never engaged before Joe." Francine answered.

"How are you so sure of yourself?"

"Well, a couple of reasons, actually. The location of the marshmallows is useless information for me to have so why not share. I'm aware of your wedding date and the date of Phillip's birth so it would add up that you were pregnant when you walked down the aisle, though shocking, not earth shattering. As for your weight, that's obvious, so it had to be the engagement. But really, what really gave it to me was your advice that the lie is usually vague. When you didn't say when you were engaged nor to whom, you gave yourself away." Francine said with a shrug. "Okay, my turn. I pick languages. I speak, 1."

Amanda interrupted, "Sorry Francine, I pick your category this round. I won the last round."

"Does that mean, I get to choose your next category?" Francine rubbed her hands together.

"Yes it does, unless, Lee shows up before then."

"Oh right, with what I'm planning, I'm sure he'll show up just in the nick of time to save you."

"Stuff it, Francine. Remember, I get to choose yours first. I was going to go easy on you but after seeing your evil grin, I'm not anymore. I want to know the men you have loved." Satisfied with her choice, Amanda picked up the bottle again and took a long drink before laying down on the table and propping her head on her hand.

"What do you mean the men I have loved? Are you asking me about my sex life?"

"Love, Francine. Love doesn't necessarily mean sex. You could love a man and not actually have sex with him."

"Well, maybe you can."

"Oh come on, Francine, you talk a good game but I bet when it comes down to love, we aren't all that different."

"I guess once I give you your category, we'll find out just how different we are." Francine purred evilly.

"Well, we won't get to my turn until you finish yours." Amanda sat back up satisfied that Francine would stall long enough for Lee to rescue her.

"Give me that bottle." Francine reached across the table and grabbed the bottle just as Amanda reached for it.

Amanda looked at her watch, "You can stall all you want Francine, Lee is probably already on his way."

"Has it been more than 2 hours already?"

"Yup, over 2 hours and over 2 bottles of wine." Amanda nodded.

"The Agency is about 20 minutes away, then Lee has to find us, so I think we will have plenty of time for me to pick your category if we hurry through this one." Francine's smile sent chills down Amanda spine.

"Well, we should take our time with yours first. I mean, we're trying to learn things about each other. To grow our friendship into something stronger."

"Oh, we'll learn something, I'm sure." The worried look that crossed Amanda's face, made Francine laugh, a slow and evil laugh. "Okay, men I've loved. 1. My high school crush was Jeremy Bolt. He had dark hair, stuttered a little when he was nervous, but put a guitar in his hand and, his voice flowed. 2. My college beau was Stephen Harrington. He was a Blond with blue eyes. He was the captain of the debate team. Totally dreamy. 3. My rebellion was next, Tony. He was dark and mysterious. Drove a motorcycle and had a tattoo. My father hated him. I would have married him in a minute if he would have asked. Then came number 4. Jonathan." Francine voice trailed off as she voiced his name. Looking away from Amanda, she picked up the bottle of wine, hoping to dull the pain.

Sensing her pain, Amanda reached across the table to pat Francine's arm, hoping to give her some comfort. "Sorry Francine, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

Sitting up straighter and looking Amanda in the eye, Francine said, "You didn't know and I didn't have to say anything. I mean, there were other men that I have loved. Just thought I would try this sharing thing. I don't think I like it."

"Well, thank you for trusting me enough to share. Maybe tomorrow, you'll realize that I really can be trusted, that I won't share your secrets with anyone and that this whole bonding exercise was actually a good thing." Amanda shrugged while removing her hand from Francine's arm, sensing the moment had passed.

"Come on, Dear, I'm waiting. Which is the lie? We need to get to your turn before Lee shows up to rescue you." The glint in Francine's eye made Amanda shutter.

"Let me think. The only one you didn't give me any details about was Jonathan but the emotion you showed was real, so I'm going to have to rule him out. We all have our rebellious phase, so I think Tony does exists, though I'm not sure you would have actually married him. That leaves Stephen and Jeremy." Amanda summoned up.

"Yes it does, so was it, singer Jeremy or dreamy Stephen that had my heart."

"Stephen, must have been dreamy to steal your heart away from Bobby Sherman? I mean even with the stutter that he used as Jeremy Bolt, he was still adorable."

"You knew? I was hoping it was so obscure, you wouldn't remember. He really was a high school crush. I've just never met him in person." Francine shrugged.

"Oh please, 'Here Comes The Brides' was must see television on a dateless Saturday night. I thought Jeremy was cute but Joshua always had my heart."

"Do you have a thing for blonds or was it his blue eyes?"

"I've really never had a type. I'm drawn to a man more by a feeling than his looks," Amanda explained with a shrug.

"And you get that feeling from Lee?" Francine laughed as the flustered look crossed Amanda's face before she was able to shield it.

"Okay, Francine, your turn to choose my category."

"Changing the subject, Amanda, will not help you in this case." Francine smiled widely as she picked up the half empty wine bottle and handed it to her friend. "Here you might need this."

Taking the bottle, Amanda mumbled, "Thanks," before raising it to her lips and swallowing.

"Your category is Lovers." Francine reached across the table quickly grabbing the bottle as Amanda started choking.

"Lovers?" Amanda croaked.

Nodding her head with a broad smile, Francine laughingly answered, "That's right, Amanda, lovers is the category of my choice. You really should hurry though, I'm sure you wouldn't want to be discussing this when Lee shows up."

"Francine, we've already played two full rounds, maybe that's enough sharing for one day. We could play again the next time we are locked in together."

"Oh no, Amanda, we are playing until Lee shows up to save us. Quit stalling and fess up."

Getting up from the table, Amanda started pacing, clearly agitated. "I'm not stalling." She stopped and looked at her watch, hoping Lee would show up. "I'm just trying to think of a credible lie."

"Uh uh. I'm not buying that. I want names and I want them now." Francine swung her legs so that they hung over the edge. "We can end this before Lee shows up or continue this in the car while he drives us home. The category has been been picked so you must answer."

Sighing deeply, Amanda knew she had to give Francine the list. "I don't like this but since I suggested this game, I guess I have to answer you. Just remember, it's just between the two of us."

"Oh yeah, nothing leaves this cellar." Francine agreed. She was going to finally hear Amanda admit that she and Lee have been sleeping together.

"Okay, as long as you promise." At Francine's nod, Amanda continued, "Well, we're talking about lovers, so I can't count my first time since I'm not 100% sure it happened it was so quick. 1. Joe and as I admitted earlier since we had to push up the wedding date, my wedding night was not our first time. 2. Dean. Not much to tell there except that he scratched an itch. 3. Alan. Though it was only one night, it was a hell of a night. Oh excuse my language."

"Oh Amanda, I think this wine is getting to you." Francine laughed. "And your number 4 is?"

"Ummmmmm, 4. Lee. New but definitely something I want to continue." Shrugging, Amanda continued. "Okay, Francine, which is the lie."

"Well, well, well, Dear. Isn't it nice to finally admit that you and Lee are lovers? I mean, I've known about it for a while now, but you both kept denying it." Francine picked up the bottle for a celebratory drink.

"So, the lie is what, Francine?" Amanda quarried again.

"Oh, please, this was the easiest of them all. Alan of course, whomever that is. You were married to Joe and dated Dean long enough that he proposed. As I said before, I've known about Lee for a while now." Francine slipped off the table and started to do a little dance around Amanda. "I guess I'm just better at this game than you are. It just took me awhile to understand the rules."

"Wrong, Francine. I pretty much gave you this one. I've told you over and over again that Lee and I are not romantically involved. He was the lie."

"I don't believe you. I have read your background report and no one named Alan was ever mentioned in your past." Francine stood in front of Amanda with her arms crossed.

"Alan wouldn't be in my background report. I met him during a case." Amanda crossed her arms and dropped her head waiting for the information she had just given Francine to sink in.

Watching Francine's foot tap up and down, Amanda braced herself when it suddenly stopped. "You...mean...Alan Chamberlin?" Her voice becoming louder with every word.

"Yes, Francine, I mean Alan Chamberlin. Remember, I came to you for advice and, I guess, I listened to it and well, one thing led to another…" Amanda's voice trailed off not wanting to finish her sentence.

"So what you're telling me is that you and Lee have never," looking at Amanda shaking her head, she continued, "but you and Alan did." Amanda nodded, never looking Francine in the eye. Francine leaned back heavily on the table she had stopped in front of. "Well, I would never believe that if I hadn't heard it directly from you."

"I've actually never told anyone else so unless Alan has, you would never had heard it from anyone else but me." Amanda leaned back on the table beside Francine.

"And Lee doesn't know?"

"And Lee doesn't know what?" Both women jumped at hearing Lee's voice from the top of the stairs as the lights flipped on.

Coming to her senses first, Francine answered, "Where Amanda hides the marshmallows."

Coming down the stairs, Lee looked at both women. "Why would I care where Amanda keeps the marshmallows? I don't like them in hot chocolate. I prefer whipped cream."

"Just a secret that I now know about Amanda that you will never know."

"You two are sharing secrets? What the hell happened down here?"

Picking up the empty bottles of wine, Amanda explained, "We had a little wine, some chocolate and chatted. We've decided to be friends so we were learning a little bit about each other. Francine, we really should leave some money for the wine. We opened 3 bottles."

"I've got it, Amanda. I lost the game, but it was worth it. You can pay for the chocolate."

"Thank you, Francine. I'll pay for the wine next time we get locked in a wine cellar."

"Next time, let's make it a bakery. That way, the next day I'll only have to spend extra time on the treadmill not hungover," Francine laughed.

Smiling, Amanda started picking up the discarded chocolate wrappers and corks and putting them in her purse.

Francine took a few bills out of her wallet and put them in the drawer of the table. "When Lamar finds the cash, he'll just assume Suzanna put them there by mistake," Francine explained.

Lee moved to stand beside Amanda and reached for the bottle she had left on the table. Picking it up, he realized it was almost full. Seeing the label, he gave a low whistle and mumbled, " no sense in letting a good bottle like this go to waste." He stealthily removed a cork from Amanda's purse, replaced it in the bottle and slipped the bottle under his suit jacket.

"Speaking of Lamar, we really should get out of here quick before the deadbeat and the drunk show up." Off Lee's look, Amanda explained, "Their adult children as per his description."

"Okay, let's go." Francine's eyes swept across the room looking for any telltale signs that they had spent the last two or more hours locked in the room. Seeing none, she followed Lee and Amanda up the stairs and through the door to freedom. Shutting the door, she winked at Amanda when she left the padlock on the counter. In case they had left something in the cellar, allowing the drunk access would surely cover it up.

As they left the house and started down the drive, Amanda said, "Lee, I think we're going to have to leave your car here and take mine home. We won't all fit into yours and neither Francine nor I should drive."

"Beaman is in my car which is parked down the street behind yours. When you didn't return or call, I didn't know if I would need back up. I know what kind of trouble you can both get into."

Francine stopped and put her hands on her hips, "What kind of trouble WE can get into? I remember a time or two that I've had to bail your ass out of a difficult situation."

"Yes, and I've had to bail you both out too." Amanda piped in. "But now is not the time to discuss it. We need to get out of her before anyone shows up and catches us trespassing."

"Amanda's right and having Beaman here is helpful but we are not done with this conversation, Scarecrow." Francine poked Lee in the chest with her finger, turned and stormed down the driveway toward their cars.

"What's wrong with her?" Lee asked while rubbing his chest where her nail caused an indent.

"Nothing really but you know Francine, she doesn't like to be rescued, she feels she can always be her own hero." Amanda shrugged, linked her arm around his and pulled him after Francine.

As they approached the cars, they noticed Francine talking to Beaman who was leaning against Lee's car.

"Francine, don't try to convince me that the growl I just heard didn't come from your stomach."

"You know it was your's Effraim. Though I am hungry, my stomach wouldn't dare make a noise."

"You know, Lee, it probably isn't a bad idea if we all stop for something to eat. Francine and I split 3 bottles of wine in about two and a half hours. A little food and maybe some water might just help stop the hangover that I feel coming our way."

"That's a good idea." Lee agreed. Turning to Beaman, "Here's my keys, you take Francine in my car," a visible shiver went through Lee at the thought of Beaman driving his car, "and I'll drive Amanda's. Meet us at Dooley's for a pizza. Then we'll bring them back to the office so they can write up their report."

Amanda handed her keys over to Lee, he opened her door and helped her in. As he was about to close her door, she asked "Ummmm, Lee, how detailed does that report have to be? I mean, do we have to include drinking the bottles of wine or the conversation or can we just say that we spent over two hours in a wine cellar until you showed up to get us out?"

Lee smiled, this was a way of finding our what they talked about. "Amanda, I think you need to be as thorough as you usually are. Every detail should be included, especially the conversation."

Francine rounded the front of the car, "Amanda, Don't listen to him. I'll write up the report. It does not need to include anything that happened in the wine cellar since we found no evidence of the homeowners of being drug traffickers."

Irritated, Lee turned to Francine while he shut Amanda's door. "Francine, why are you not in my car with Beaman?"

"I heard Amanda ask you about the report and I'm going to make sure that while she is a little inebriated that I am with her. Wouldn't want her to spill any secrets."

Lee rolled his eyes as he opened the back door and helped Francine in. "Exactly what did the two of you talk about while you were locked in, Desmond?" His curiosity killing him.

"Oh just a little girl talk, you know, sharing recipes, housework tips and… sex." Francine's laugh echoed in the car as Lee closed her door and walked around the back of the car to the driver's side shaking his head.

An hour later at Dooleys…

The table cluttered with dirty plates, napkins, glasses and the end of two small pizzas.

Lee's arm casually tossed across the back of the booth edging closer to Amanda. Francine's large purse wedged between her and Beaman.

"Come on, Francine. You can tell us what you talked about." Lee's curiosity was killing him.

"Sorry, Lee, that is strictly need to know."

"And you don't need to know," The women chorused and laughed.

Looking past Francine, Lee spotted a dart board on the wall. "How about we make a wager?"

"A wager? What kind of wager?" Francine asked, always ready for a good competition.

"Well, there's a dart board over there that no one is using. We team up. If Beaman and I win, you tell us all about your conversation. If you and Amanda win, I'll tell you exactly what happened with the Prince's daughter that got me thrown out of not only their castle but also banned from their country for three years."

Smiling, Francine reached across the table to shake Lee's hand. "It's a bet. Come on, Partner, let's show them what we got."

Standing, Amanda smiled back, "Yes, Partner, I have always wanted to know what happened with that Princess."

"Huh, like you're going to win. Have you seen the way Amanda shoots? She can't aim straight to save her life, or her secrets," Beaman piped up as they all left the table and headed toward the dartboard.

"Well, I will give away one of the secrets that Amanda shared today. She was league champion in darts while in college." Laughing, Francine wrapped her arm around Amanda's shoulders. Off Lee's look of surprise, Francine added, "Let's show them what we got, Partner."


End file.
